I Won’t Quit

As I was scrolling through the ‘gram today I came upon a mug by the talented India of Whiski Designs. She had a mug with her incredible handlettering that said, “I won’t quit, but I will cuss the whole time.” And, I fell in love. It was brilliant and perfect, as is all of India’s work. Perfect except for the part about “I won’t quit”. Because, honestly, after the past few weeks I’ve been having I have wanted to quit.

I’ve wanted to quit

A million times a day I’ve wanted to quit………except I’m too hard-headed, stubborn, pertinacious, adamant, bullheaded, singleminded, pigheaded, tenacious, hellbent, and did I mention stubborn? So, I keep on going, usually with some choice words (some days a LOT of choice words).

I love my farm life

I love my farm life. I love my kitchen and caramel life. But, they’re each challenging in their own ways. Initially, I got into that farm life milk because we needed access to raw goat milk for our family’s needs. This in turn led to a lot of time spent not just in the barn, but in the kitchen, as well. Now, here we are five years later, a bonafide Farmher Lady, Caramel Maker, Shop Keeper that sometimes wants to quit.

Women’s History Month

It’s Women’s History Month. And, I originally wanted to share a well-curated and coiffed picture of me from my dear friend and talented photog, Lizzy Trauer. I wanted to share about our beginnings and journey of the accidental caramel company and where I saw us heading. I wanted it to be inspirational, lighthearted, and full of wisdom- where that wisdom was going to come from was still to be decided (but most definitely not from me). That would have been a perfect post.

I was determined that I would get those sunflowers. The sunflowers were equally as determined to defy me. Photo credit Lizzy Trauer Photography

Too perfect.

That would be the glossed-over fluff edition and it wouldn’t be completely honest. It wouldn’t be me. See the above picture of me going toe to toe with my stand of sunflowers if you want a more accurate picture of my daily life.

The real me

The real me? I get tired, bone weary tired. I get frustrated when the plan doesn’t take the path I thought it would. I make mistakes, lots of mistakes. I want to quit AND use the cuss words. I get downhearted when I feel as if everything I’m doing is in vain.

(Oh, and I make really crazy eyes during photo shoots, too. So much for the coiffed part of the photoshoot.)

Not in vain

But, it isn’t in vain. This grand adventure has brought so much to my life. There have been some incredible relationships forged from the camaraderie of working farmers’ markets in the blistering sun, unrelenting wind, and the little bit of bitter cold that Texas receives. Some of my dearest friends I’ve gained from farmers, makers, bakers, and customers. The life lessons from four years of events and markets will last a lifetime.

And, just outside the big caramel picture stands my family who’s given up much to see me along on this grand adventure. They’ve rallied behind me. They’ve walked beside me helping to carry the heavy load. And, they’ve been there every single time to pick me up off the floor and propel me on. My family and my faith are the guideposts that not only see me along the trail but through the trials as well. And, I hope that in return I can give them the courage and tenacity to try the scary adventures in life, to keep going, try new things, and to most definitely not quit. Cuss words optional.

All images are by the talented Lizzy Trauer Photography.

As I was scrolling through the ‘gram today I came upon a mug by the talented India of Whiski Designs. She had a mug with her incredible handlettering that said, … Continue reading “I Won’t Quit”

November 18, 2021November 18, 2021

Texas Travels

Mercy, y’all! The past few weeks have had us burning up roads from one end of Texas to the other to work weekend markets and festivals.

We started in Waxahachie for the Texas Country Reporter Festival – and what a festival it was!

It was the 25th anniversary festival, and boy did they do it up big! This year GoTexan sponsored The GoTexan Experience and Pavilion. We were more than thrilled to be chosen as one of the vendors for this first-time event. It was fantastic fun meeting other fellow GoTexan members. I wish we’d had more time to visit with all of them, but with an estimated 50,000 festival goers in attendance, we didn’t have a whole lot of time for visiting! Not a bad problem to have, right?

jolly acres farms caramels

This Texas-sized party was quickly followed by back-to-back Vintage Market Days events, first in Lindale over in east Tx, then in northwest Houston. If you’re not familiar with these events, then you should definitely take the time to get familiar! These 3-day events have so much to offer – decor, clothing, crafts, and FOOD (you know, my love language ;).

What made these events even better was that my family traveled with me. I was able to watch my children gain confidence as they spoke with customers. They discussed our ingredients and practices. They answered questions. They each found their strengths in different ways, whether it was helping with set up and break down or speaking with our customers. It made this mama super proud (and thankful our homeschool program puts an emphasis on public speaking).

Our family traveling together was a treat made all the sweeter after my husband’s illnesses these past few months. Those weeks of multiple hospitalizations, months of home recovery, well, they weren’t filled with just uncertainty, they were stressful. Our little trips were an incredible blessing that gave us much needed time out of the house as a family. I especially loved the private breakfasts at the morning buffets with each child individually. These darling little dates were the perfect time to fill up those love tanks with one on one attention.

Oh, and did I mention that while in Houston I was able to catch up with a high school friend I’d not seen since graduation? That made my day! And, the next day I was surprised at my booth by my cousin I’d not seen in years! All of this while I got to meet so many new faces while sharing our jolly good caramels.

Exhausted? You bet!

Grateful? More than you’ll ever know!

I’m happy to be back home with the rhythm of the kitchen, farm, and family life. Routine suits me best. But, I’m excited to be preparing for our next upcoming events in the DFW area! Below is a list of places you can find us setting up and selling our caramels over the next few weeks. And, don’t forget. If you can’t make it out to any of our events you can always order from our online store ( https://www.jollyacresfarms.com/store/ ) and we’ll ship directly to you!

Stay jolly! Laurie

11/20 8:00-12:00 Good Local Markets @ Whiterock (Garland Rd. at Lakepointe Church)
12/4 8:00-12:00 Good Local Markets @ Whiterock (Garland Rd. at Lakepointe Church)
12/5 10:00-3:00 Luscombe Farm Holiday Market 8649 Luscombe Farm Dr., Anna, TX
12/5 12:00-4:00 Trinity Falls by Around Town Artisans 7801 Trinity Falls, Mckinney, TX
12/11 8:00-12:00 Good Local Markets @ Whiterock (Garland Rd. at Lakepointe Church)
12/18 8:00-12:00 Good Local Markets @ Whiterock (Garland Rd. at Lakepointe Church)

April 17, 2020April 20, 2020

3 Solid Homeschool Tips

Water play is always a favorite among my tribe, especially with my most feral child.

It’s been a month of the LONGEST YEAR EVER since we began to shelter in place due to the outbreak of the Corona Virus. This is an unprecedented time in our lives. What we’ve relied on and always assumed to be a constant in our day to day lives has shifted, or in some cases disappeared entirely. Many of us are left scrambling to maintain some sense of normalcy that just isn’t there any longer. That makes finding rhythm and routine in our daily lives difficult at best.

Many of you find yourselves faced with the reality of homeschooling your children when that was never on your radar before. We’ve homeschooled for several years now, so while this isn’t entirely new to us, it certainly presents its own set of challenges. Our trips to the library and park are on hold. We’re learning to connect digitally with our co-ops. And, we’re figuring out how to cope with the aimlessness that some of our days find us immersed in.

I’ve had quite a few friends reach out asking for resources, worksheets, apps, and websites that will aid in their new home education journey. I’m not the greatest help there as my kids are mostly feral, but what I can offer is something both parents and children will love. Here are the three biggest resources I can recommend.

Read to your children -NO MATTER THE AGE, read to them. Just sit down in the same room and begin to read aloud, no announcement needed. Think your kids are too old? Think again. You’ll be surprised to see many an older child finding excuses to linger in the room as you’re reading a story to your littles. Think you don’t have the patience to read aloud? That’s okay. Audiobooks are amazing! Especially when voiced by actors such as Tim Curry!

Play – Play is an essential component, and arguably the most important one, for the growth and development of children. When children play and use their imagination it gives them a sense of control of their immediate environment. When their little worlds feel as if they’re falling apart, they can control their play world. Remember, as much as our grown-up day to day lives have changed, theirs have changed more. Let them play.

Some of our favorite breaks involve our garden guests!

Get outside – Take a hike! Literally! Socially distanced of course. If you can get outside, do so. You don’t have to have acres to enjoy. It can be as simple as taking a spoon to a spot of dirt and pretending to garden if not doing the real thing, or doing leaf rubbings. Not only will the fresh air and vitamin D do your health a wealth of good, but it also changes the scenery and acts as a reset button.

By now you’re probably asking yourselves what does all of this have to do with goats and caramels.

I get it. This post is a big deviation from the norm here at Jolly Acres. But, hear me out.

During our quarantine, everything about our day to day lives is now a deviation from the norm. We’re going to have to learn new rhythms, routines, and methods of doing things. From educating our children at home to selling caramels at modified farmers’ markets, everyone is learning a new normal. We can’t just pretend this chapter isn’t being written.

What does that look like for Jolly Acres? It means some of our markets have been postponed. Some have been modified. It looks like new ways to offer our caramels through local food hub aggregates and co-ops as well as maintaining and expanding our presence in local shops. We’re researching our options of extending our shipping to year-round in temperature-controlled environments. And, it also means the same comforting quality of deliciously handcrafted goat milk caramels.

The world, our community, and all the way down to us at Jolly Acres is learning a new way of doing well, everything. We don’t have all the answers. But, we have each other. And, that goes an awful long way.

May 9, 2019February 27, 2020

Market Season

If you follow along on the Jolly Acres Farms Instagram or Facebook accounts then you know that I’ve recently stepped out of my comfort zone and joined a farmers’ market to sell my salted caramels and other goat milk based decadently delicious treats.

I chose a week day market to start small as I learned my way around the world of farmers’ markets. Truth be told, I was both excited and apprehensive about this new endeavor. Doing what I always do before a new venture, I read. Lots. Turns out farmers’ market culture could be classified into two camps: a haven for the shop local, know your farmer, real food advocates, or downright cutthroat. Not intimidating at all, right? Thankfully, the market I’ve joined, Railcar Farmers Market , completely embraces the first kind, a supportive, complimentary family that celebrates collaboration over competition.

I call them market family because it truly fits the atmosphere surrounding them. Their support and encouragement was evident from the first meeting, so much so that I lost all remaining sense I had and volunteered to help with behind the scenes social media graphics and social marketing. Do I know anything about graphic art?

Absolutely not.

I’m flying by the seat of my overalls and learning on the job as, you guessed it, the market family offers support and encouragement.

You’ll be seeing a great deal more of promotional posting on my social media feeds. I’ll be promoting the markets I’m attending (yes plural – see, I’ve lost all remaining sense and joined a second market, Market at Luscombe Farm) and all my yummy salted caramels and caramel based goodies. I’ve been blessed with a great deal of support from friends and family this past six months as I’ve jumped into this adventure wholeheartedly. From taste testing and purchases, to sharing my FB and IG posts and pages, every little bit helps, and for your continued support and help I am incredibly grateful. Thank you.

August 20, 2017February 27, 2020

Bear 2015-2017

Last year I wrote an entry about life and the early morning sounds of life on our farm. The same sounds I can still count on morning after morning.
“Those moments after my feet hit the ground for a full day, like every day. When Sissy, the barn cat, is meowing at the back door to be fed and loved on. The sound of our neighbor leaving his place. His diesel engine pulling at the work trailer he tows every day. And, the sound of the goats and chickens as I round the corner of the house going down to feed their morning bottles and turn out the coop.” –And so Farm Life Goes On

I hear my does calling to be milked and turned out. I hear the crows of the roosters greeting the morning. And, I hear the bellowing of our buck, Pancho calling for his ladies.
But, Friday morning his bellowing was different. I could hear the difference before even seeing him. He stood at the gate. He stood over Bear, our beloved llama and herd guard, bellowing. His bellowing was grievous, and the closer I came, the higher my stomach clawed its way up my throat till I was ready to bellow, too.
Bear’s body was silent and still. There were no signs of attack. There weren’t any signs of anything. He was simply gone. He had been fine at the previous evening’s pasture checks at 8:30/9:00. And, then sometime overnight, he wasn’t.
Llamas are alert, stoic, curious creatures. Qualities that make them excellent herd guards. But, also makes it difficult to detect anything internally amiss. He’d just had a physical a few weeks ago and all was well, or so it seemed. Due to our large livestock vet’s busy schedule and the mounting heat of the morning, we weren’t able to procure a necropsy to find out what happened. We were able to rule out a few things with a last fecal check. But, it just leaves more questions than answers. And, as much as I want answers, want to blame myself, answers aren’t going to bring him back. They won’t take this hurt away.
So, I turn back to that entry from last year, to that prayer I prayed after losing Truvy. And, I turn to it for comfort as life on the farm goes on.

“As I sat trying to juggle a flashlight between my shoulder and ear, along with three bottles, watching dawn’s fingers of light slowly wiping away the dark of night, I prayed the prayer of all those living among the ebb and flow, give and take of life on a farm.
Sweet, merciful Creator,
Thank you for this beautiful life. It is glorious. Precious. And, full of hope and pain all wrapped up together. Bless our family, two and four legs alike. And, may we seek to bless those around us with the light of your love. Thank you, gracious, glorious Creator of all.
Amen.”

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March 24, 2017March 24, 2017

Pineapple Habanero Marmalade

This Pineapple Habanero marmalade has a wonderful caramelized color after simmering for so long. Use as an appetizer, spread, or even on ribs! A Jolly Acres Farm Favorite!

Yields: about 4 half pints

You will need:

4-5 half pint jars, new lids, rings, waterbath canner, jar lifter.

Ingredients:

3-4 cups fresh cleaned, cored, and chopped pineapple
5 Habanero peppers – seeded*
2 packages pectin
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Prepare jars, lids, and canner.

Blend pineapple and 1/4 C apple cider vinegar and place in large pot.

Puree seeded habanero peppers with the remaining apple cider vinegar. Add to pineapple.

Cook on medium low to low heat stirring often. Once mixture is at a boil add sugar and pectin stirring well to completely dissolve. Stirring frequently, continue cooking on low till mixture thickens, roughly 30 minutes.

Once mixture has thickened bring up to a rolling boil and boil hard for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim with wet paper towel, center lid, and tighten band till resistance is met. Place in boiling water bath canner and process for 10 minutes. Remove lid and turn off heat, let stand 10 mins. Remove jars from water and let sit on counter for 24 hours. Make sure your jars are sealed, and remove ring for storage.

January 23, 2017March 13, 2017

And, Farm Life Goes On

Originally posted 3/17/2016

I love the early morning sounds I’ve come to know since moving to our forever farm this fall. No. No roosters crowing to wake us, yet. That will come soon enough once our incubating eggs have hatched out and we find out how many roos will be among this hatch.
I’m talking about those moments just before my alarm goes off at 5:45, and I’m lying there listening to the county rock hauler leaving his place down the road and turning out onto the highway that runs behind our house. My pup, Charlie, stirring in his crate. Or, at my feet if he’s lucky enough to sneak into bed with me before Honeyman notices he’s not crated at night. The water fountain feature on our rain harvester bubbling and gurgling just outside our bedroom window.
Those moments after my feet hit the ground for a full day, like every day. When Sissy, the barn cat, is meowing at the back door to be fed and loved on. The sound of our neighbor leaving his place. His diesel engine pulling at the work trailer he tows every day. And, the sound of the goats and chickens as I round the corner of the house going down to feed their morning bottles and turn out the coop.
But, my goats sounded distinctly different this morning. You see, Tuesday we lost our beloved Truvy while she was under anesthesia. It was a routine abscess removal, but goats are highly sensitive. I knew this. But, I weighed the options our vet gave us, and she and I both felt this was our best one. She repeatedly reminded me that this was routine, and the best path forward in beginning our dairy herd. I wanted to see what the abscess was. It bore the telltale signs of CLCaseous Lymphadenitis, a highly contagious and nearly, if not impossible disease to eradicate once embedded in your herd. But, Truvy’s heart stopped during the procedure, and ours broke.
Not only did ours break, but her companion Clairee’s did, too. Goats are highly social animals. You can’t keep just one. And, so she cried throughout the day after Truvy was gone, and through yesterday as well. Knowing we couldn’t keep her alone, and that our buckling wasn’t set to join us till April, I began searching for more doelings not long after the vet called to inform me of Truvy’s death. I wasn’t ready to open my heart back up to another animal yet, especially while waiting for the results of the CL culture due next week. But, Clairee had no visible signs of CL, and she was awfully lonesome. And, so, farm life goes on.
Yesterday evening we brought home three new additions to our dairy herd. Two, four week old bottle baby Nubian doelings, whose unregistered dam had earned her STAR in milk and butterfat. And, a six month old Nubian buckling, whose dam was registered (sire, too) and had earned her STAR as well. A family farm raising Longhorn cattle had gotten them, and realized they were more work than their cattle. And, with both parents working as teachers, raising two young children, and the Longhorns, they sold all three goats at a good and fair price.

As I rounded the corner of the house this morning with three bottles in my overall pockets instead of my usual two, I heard the distinct cries of young kids that were hungry for bottles. My Clairee’s usual deeper, older, cry for her bottle. And, the quieter, softer sounds of our sweetheart of a buckling, gently asking for his breakfast. As I sat trying to juggle a flashlight between my shoulder and ear, along with three bottles, watching dawn’s fingers of light slowly wiping away the dark of night, I prayed the prayer of all those living among the ebb and flow, give and take of life on a farm.
Sweet, merciful Creator,
Thank you for this beautiful life. It is glorious. Precious. And, full of hope and pain all wrapped up together. Bless our family, two and four legs alike. And, may we seek to bless those around us with the light of your love. Thank you, gracious, glorious Creator of all.
Amen.

January 5, 2017

Meet the Newest Jolly Acres Additions

Originally Posted 3/7/2016

Our farm is beginning to take shape. Not only are the interior renovations coming to a close, for now (a screened in back porch is coming my way in a month or so), but our critter crew is growing, too.
We’ve been chicken sitting for my in-laws since November while they ready to sell their house to move here to Texas. Their flock of five hens have not only provided us with fresh eggs, but laughter and enjoyment with their antics, too. My sister in law provided us with 18 hatching eggs to begin our own flock. They have been in the incubator since Friday evening as we all eagerly await their 21 day incubation period.
And, then there’s the goats. I’ve always wanted a small herd of dairy goats. Probably has something to do with my near borderline obsession with goat cheese. Mmmmmm, goat cheese. Plus, there’s no denying the adorableness of a goat.
After weeks of research I decided that I wanted Nubians. The butterfat content of their milk can’t be beat. Butterfat is a big deal when making cheese and yogurt. Also, those ears!
I decided that I’d like to compliment our herd by throwing in a Saanen into the mix due to their high milk output. According to Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy Goats, in 305 days an average output can be almost 2,500 pounds. That’s a lot of milk!
After scouring local online livestock ads for a few weeks I finally found what I was after. We brought Truvy, full Saanen, and Clairee, a Nubian/Saanen mix home to Jolly Acres last week, where I’d say they’ve adjusted quite well.
They’re bottle babies, meaning we feed them bottles of a whole milk, evaporated milk, and buttermilk mixture. Right now they’re being fed bottles three times a day, but I am already reducing the amounts they receive during their lunch time feeding as they are taking to their feed and alfalfa really well.

The buckling we chose for our herd is a Nubian/Saanen mix. He’ll join our herd once he’s weaned in April. Although, as I’m already bottle feeding two, why not three? So, we might pick him up earlier than April. And, that’s the beginning of our dairy herd.
Obviously, our herd needs a guard, so there was much research into which animal would work best for our needs. We opted for a llama. Llamas bond well with goat herds. They alert the herd of predators with an alarming, rusty sounding call. They will kick at predators. And, have been known to kill coyotes, however are not considered attack animals. They sometimes will even herd the goats into a tight pack when in danger. And, if that weren’t enough to convince you, it’s a llama, people! Llama. Who wouldn’t want a llama?
By now you’re probably reciting Llama, Llama, Red Pajamas. Right? Our cria will come to us in June once he’s learned all things llama from his mama. He is already being halter and lead trained. And, the breeders work hard to ensure that their crias are docile with their new humans. I’ve been assured Bear will eat out of our hands by the end of his training.

What a wild difference six months can make. I am thrilled with how our farm is taking shape, and can hardly wait to see what the next six months bring about.

January 5, 2017

Coachella Shorts, A Summer Staple

Originally Posted 6/4/2015

Coachella shorts.
Everywhere you look in the sewing world you’re bound to happen upon a pair of Coachella shorts. All the rage this season, they’re a great fit for a summer staple for both, women and children.
This easy to follow and fun to sew pattern comes to us from Mandalynn, the designer behind Striped Swallow Designs. The PDF pattern pieces are concise, layered, and fit together well.
The instructions are beginner friendly with many color photographs guiding you throughout your sew. Also, helpful hints are mentioned along the way as well. What a clever idea to use hair alligator clips in place of pinning!
Not only is this pattern great for the budding seamstress/sewist, but for the experienced as well. These sew up so quickly you’ll be able to knock out several pairs in one sitting. And, leave you dreaming of more. Especially with all the different trim options!
To date I’ve sewn two pairs, but have already purchased fabric and trims in anticipation of many more. The first pair I used Jennifer Paganelli’s Lucky Girl in Marcella. And, the trim is a sweet cream colored crochet bias tape from Vintage Door on Etsy.

I used Pat Bravo’s Rock ‘n Romance from Art Gallery Fabrics for my second pair. The trim is a mini pompom I found at one of the big box craft stores.
I’m in love with the comfort and fit of my Coachella shorts. I love that I can dress them up or down with ease. I am already planning a pair in something silky for pajama bottoms. I have the perfect navy blue with white pin dots for just such a pair.
The children’s pattern is sold separately. Or, you can bundle both the women’s and children’s together and save. My daughter is already asking for a matching pair. I should probably get on that. But, first, a Wanderer Tunic for myself, also from Striped Swallow Designs.